Fort Worth, TX Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Under Fort Worth City Code § 20-414, holding, sponsoring or causing a special event without a permit from the outdoor events manager is unlawful. A street fair or festival counts as a special event under Article XII (Outdoor Events), Division 2. The mandatory requirements before a permit issues are: a completed application filed 210 days ahead for a downtown outdoor events district (DOED) event expecting more than 2,500 attendees, 120 days ahead for events outside the DOED or DOED events expecting 500 to 2,500 people, or 60 days ahead for a walk, run or race under 500 people; payment of the nonrefundable fee set by city council at the time of filing; attendance by the applicant at a mandatory pre-event meeting; execution of a user agreement; and proof of required insurance.

The application itself, filed with the outdoor events manager, must list the organizer's name and 24-hour phone number, a projected-attendance affidavit, the event dates and set-up/removal times, a noise mitigation plan if amplified music is used, emergency services and police service plans, a traffic control and parking plan, and a site plan showing tents, stages, vendor booths, generators and portable toilets. If alcohol will be sold, the applicant must show a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission license application. Street or sidewalk closures also require a separate street closure permit from the transportation and public works department under § 20-405(d).

The outdoor events manager may request supplemental information after submission, and the city posts event dates on its website 20 to 30 days before the pre-event meeting or the event itself.